GUEST BLOG: Six ways to revitalise the role of the CIO

In the past decade, the role of the CIO has changed dramatically, on the back of a dynamic global business landscape and increasing innovations in technology infrastructure.

Shyam Baddepudi, VP of Business Solutions, SAP South East Asia

In the past decade, the role of the CIO has changed dramatically, on the back of a dynamic global business landscape and increasing innovations in technology infrastructure.

We have evolved into an age of desktops, laptops, smart phones, tablets -- information needs to be accessible and available instantaneously for quick decision-making. Never before has the adage 'Time is Money' been so true or as pervasive in the corporate space. Similarly, never before have consumer applications had an impact in an organisation.

To support new ways of working, the modern-day CIO finds a brand new set of challenges on his or her hand.

The fundamental distinction between 'past generation' CIOs and today's CIO is that the latter is more participative in driving organisational growth. The focus is on creating business value, and less focusing on technology.

Here are some top tips on how a CIO can revolutionise growth:

1. Segregate the existing infrastructure, which is supporting the business, from the new innovations. It is very easy to be stuck in the past with the mindset 'what worked then will work now.' CIOs need to consciously budget for innovations and bring new technology into the workplace. This way there will be always room for improvement and refining what already exists.

2. Listen to your users and industry peers. Pioneering business leaders do not have a closed mindset – they explore all possibilities. Users and industry peers may have ideas that are relevant to your business;

3. Make information available to the entire organisation rather than just a select few. Through mobility and broadband availability -- everyone will know what is going on. Transparency is fundamental and with everybody on the same page there will be less hiccups and room for errors.

4. Make the user workplace experience similar to that of their social experience of technology. Unlike in previous decades, the first experience with computers and technology does not occur at the workplace. With smartphones, tablets and social networking sites, users expect the technology to be simple, easy to use and sleek.

5. Adopt social media: rather than fearing uncontrollable criticism, leverage social media to your advantage. There are many benefits to social media -- brand awareness, possible early detection of errors or issues with products and a better understanding of consumers. Response time to issues is quicker and the ability to adapt to unforeseen circumstances becomes easier. CIOs need to accept and adopt this technology and

6. Above all, be a stakeholder in the boardroom. A CIO must be proactive rather than reactive. Expand your role and look to the future. CIO -- Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Information Officer: heading innovating and giving your business the competitive edge it needs to stay ahead of the competition in this global community.